


An unlikely friendship

by FallonandLiam



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:20:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28898052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallonandLiam/pseuds/FallonandLiam
Summary: After being devasted by watching his ex girlfriend Nini with EJ , Ricky joins the musical and ask Gina Porter to help him win her back. Because seeing him with her arch enemy will annoy Nini and make her stop ignoring him. What he don't plan to is actually getting along with Gina Porter.
Relationships: Ricky Bowen/Gina Porter
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	1. Scaterboy & the ballerina

**Author's Note:**

> Hey !  
> So I recently watched this show and just fell in love with the potentional betweeen Gina and Ricky, I really hope they explore more of their releationship in season 2. 
> 
> English is not my first language, so apologies for any typos. 
> 
> Happy reading !

Gina woke up to the sound of her phone beeping before even her alarm could go on, Gina sighed wondering who the hell was texting her so early.

 _Scaterboy:_ " _Remember to be nice to me today so Nini notice and gets annoyed."_

_Scaterboy: "You can teach me theatre stuff and dance so it will be believable why we are suddenly hanging out."_

_Scaterboy: "HELLO GINA !!! please answer, tell me you are still going along with the plan."_

Gina rolled her eyes as she read through all his texts, immediately regretting giving Ricky Bowen, her arch enemy’s ex-boyfriend her number. Gina contemplates to text him that he is alone in trying to get Nini back so she can go back to minding her own business. Then she remembers when Nini had stabbed her back in fifth grade when she had gone after the guy, she knew Gina had liked. The memories of her crying in her room for days came back rushing to her.

Hanging around with Ricky would annoy Nini and hopefully make her understand how it had felt for Gina to watch her friend kiss the boy she liked.

 _“Don’t worry Bowen, I ‘m an outstanding actor, you just worry about yourself. You might have been cast as Troy, but you have to actually be able to not to give Nini heart eyes and look devasted when she and EJ smooch it up.”_ She typed and hit the send button before she got up from the bed so she could get ready for the day.

Gina chooses a cute top and some jeans, if her and Ricky was going to be spending more time together to annoy Nini at least she can do is look cute while doing so. Not that Gina has ever not looked cute or put together.

_Scaterboy:” Considering changing your name to sassy ballerina in my contact list”_

Gina chuckled reading his text and replied, “ _Considering changing your name to annoying Bowen.”_

_Scaterboy: “I FEEL ATACKED BY YOU PORTER :/”_

Gina rolled her eyes and replied with “See you at school Scaterboy.”

* * *

Ricky was listening to Big Red as they were having lunch, trying his hardest not to stare at the direction where Nini was sitting with Kourtney and EJ. Ricky heard his phone beep and smiled reading the text

_SassyBallerina : “I’m coming over to your table, play it cool Bowen! “_

Big Red notice the smile on his friend's face and asked curiously “who are you texting with?”

Before Ricky could answer, he was interrupted by a soft angelic voice “Hey, do you guys mind if I sit with you guys today?”

Both Big Red and Ricky looks up to Gina standing by their table, giving them a shy smile. Ricky Bowen could not believe the girl that scarred everyone was speaking so softly and giving them what could be considered a nervous smile. Gina had not lied when she had told him that she was a talented actress.

“Yeah, sure” he said softly giving her a small smile back and watched as Gina sat down beside him.

“Thanks” they heard her reply as she ignored everyone’s curious glances towards their table. It had been few years anyone had seen Gina Porter sit with anyone else, she was usually found eating all by herself. Most people were too afraid to approach her even.

“So, Ricky since you are new to the whole Theatre thing, let me know if you need help” she said before taking a bite from her apple nonchalantly as Big Red watched her with wide eyes, not believing what was happening in front of his eyes.

Ricky knew if he said yes right away it would seem suspicious, because why would Gina Porter suddenly offer her help to Ricky Bowen when everyone knew how annoyed she was to be the understudy for Gabriella.

“Why would you want to help me?” he asks her with a confused facial expression.

“Believe it or not I want this musical to be successful” she said with a shrug.

“Well, I will take up your offer then” Ricky said slowly, surprised by his own acting skills because it took all his willpower not to smile widely as he watched Nini starring at him and Gina. He saw her looking at him intensely as she was trying to figure out what was going on, Ricky gave her a shrug before turning his attention to Gina again.

“We can run lines together and you definitively need help with your dance moves” he heard her say smirking playfully before she stole some fries from his lunch tray in a playful manner.

“He really needs all the help for his dance moves” Big Red commented before Ricky glared at his bestfriend. They heard Gina giggle and Ricky had to admit he liked the sound of her laugh, he admired how her face light up when she was giggling.

“Porter, you hurt my feelings” he said placing his hand dramatically on his hearth.

“For a Scaterboy you are quite dramatic, Bowen” she replies as she gazed at him softly, knowing that it would piss Nini seeing her ex-boyfriend sharing an eye lock with her.

“Gina, you can sit with us whenever you want” Big Red said smiling, realizing Gina was not scarry as everyone made her sound like and wondered why she had stopped being friends with Nini and Kourtney years ago.

Gina teared her gaze away from Ricky and smiled genuinely at Big red and whispered “I like that, thanks. You pretty cool Big Red” she said honestly, and Ricky could not help but smile at their interaction. Ricky did not know Gina that well, but he had no doubt that Gina was being sincere at that moment. He imagined how lonely it must be having lunch all by yourself and not really have much of friends. Ricky could not imagine surviving high school or any day without Big Red.

“Friends?” Ricky found himself offering his hand to Gina, the last person on earth he imagined wanting to be friends with, remembering how much Nini hated Gina. He wonders if Nini and everyone misunderstood Gina. There was more to Gina Porter than everyone believed.

“Friends” she said shaking his hand gently, both ignoring the small spark they both are feeling as their hands touch.


	2. Blessing in disguise

Gina had never imagined herself being friend with Ricky and Big Red, but now she does not want to imagine a scenario where the three of them are not friends. Gina takes a deep breath, not wanting to think about how things usually go south for her, that good things never have lasted for her. She lets her mind wonder to memories of helping Ricky with his dancing and afterwards them playing videogames with Big Red.

Gina walks to her locker after her science class and gets surprised when she sees Ricky standing by her locker. Gina smiled fondly as she felt a warm soft feeling in her chest as she stares at the curly haired guy.

“Hey” she says softly giving him a curious glance, she does not know why for some reason Ricky had intrigued her since she saw his audition which was so unlike her.

“Hey Gi” she heard him reply nervous with one of his hands behinds his back as if he were trying to hide something

“What you got there, Bowen?” she asks and see him try laugh it out. Gina crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow at him

“First promise me you won’t run away or kill me” he says half joking and half serious

“I promise I won’t run” she said with a shrug

“Great” he replied before realizing she made no promise of not killing him

“HEY” he added before making a terrified facial expression

“For someone who claims he don’t like musicals, you are very dramatic” Gina said making Ricky laugh

“Guess you theatre kids are rubbing off on me” he said as he moved closer to her making her heart skip a beat and all her senses could focus on was the scent of his perfume.

_Why does he have this effect on me, Big Red is also my friend and I never feel this around him. Must just be his damn perfume. Yep, that’s all it is. I like his perfume for some reason._

“Talking about musicals and theatre, I ..I would have probably given up by now. The jazz hands and the dance steps are very overwhelming and not to mention the glares I get from Nini and EJ. Ehm,… what I’m trying to say is thank you. Thank you for helping me with the dancing and being my friend Gi” she heard him say softly as he took his arms forward, presenting beautiful purple tulips.

Gina gulps as she looks at the curly haired guy in front of her standing with flowers for her, with the most hopeful smile and all she can find is sincerity in his eyes. No one can be that good of actor, can they?

He must see the doubt and fears in his eyes because he leans in closer and whispers in her ear “I promise this is not a part of the plan. You are my friend and I’m really grateful for you” he whispers, his breath fanning on her neck making her shiver slightly.

“They are beautiful Ricky, thank you” she says softly accepting his flowers with a huge smile across her face. He smiles back at her before they walk side by side to the cafeteria.

* * *

This is the third time Ricky is late for rehearsal, he is certain Miss Jenn was going to kill him this time. He runs as fast as he can to the rehearsal, Big Red right behind him

“Look who decided to show up” Carlos comments when he enters the room, Ricky offer them all only an apologetically smile before him and Big Red takes their seat next to Gina who was sitting at the end of the row.

“What did I miss?” he whispered to Gina

“Miss Jenn and Carlos almost having a panic attack for you being late again, the lovebirds singing “Breaking free” because you were not here to sing Troy’s part” she whispered

Ricky frowns at the missed opportunity to sing with Nini, he looks over to where Nini is sitting beside EJ who had his arms around her waist. Ricky felt a lump in his throat and gazed away sadly, his heart aching as memories of him and Nini flashed across his eyes.

Gina places her hand in his slowly, he looks up, but she is watching Miss Jenn talk about costumes. She must have felt his eyes on her because seconds later he feels her squeeze his hand gently. Ricky smiles as a warm sensation fills him; her one gesture makes him feel less alone.

Gina Porter keeps surprising him, she is the most ambitious and hardworking person he ever had the pleasure to know. Along with that she is feisty, incredibly talented in everything and witty. She terrifies him, not for the reason most people are afraid of her. Gina terrifies him because he was never supposed to like her so much, not like the sound of her laugh and find his hand comforting in hers. Most of all he was scarred to imagine not having her in his life, people always let him down and left and he never wanted their to be a day where they are not bantering or sending each other funny memes.

_I have only been friends with her for two weeks and I’m already scarred of losing her, geez._

Ricky is snapped out of his thoughts when he no longer feels the warmth of her hand in his, he frowns realizing she had moved her hand away to tuck her hair behind her ear.

_She has beautiful hair_

Big Red coughs teasingly making him roll his eyes, he had started doing that a lot recently around him and Gina. Him and Gina were just friends, but if Big Red believed there could be more then Nini would hopefully start noticing and get jealous.

Ricky catches Nini looking towards him and Gina with a visible frown on her face, he gives her a nonchalantly shrug as he has watched Gina do so many times effortlessly. Ricky looks down at his phone as it vibrates, a grin appears on his face.

_SassyBallerina : “You owe me so much ice cream!"_

He quickly types back _“It’s a date_ _😊_ _“_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading :) Sorry for any typos and please feel free to let me know what you think :D


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